128 A Visit to the Python in the Zoological Gardens. 



one of the great folds ; and by gentle pressure in the opposite 

 direction caused her to uncoil slightly, and display the greater 

 portion of the nest. As she now began to raise her head, and 

 assume a menacing look, her small eyes sparkling with a fire 

 that at least suggested the idea of offended maternity, the 

 blanket was carefully replaced, the door was shut, and Mrs. Py- 

 thon shrunk down again until the blanket lay flat and smooth, as 

 if she nestled yet closer to her unhatched progeny. During the 

 brief view thus obtained, it was evident that there was system 

 in the hatching process. The eggs appeared to be somewhat 

 larger than those of a goose, of the same colour, and the ex- 

 terior shell, instead of being hard and calcareous, is leathery 

 and elastic. Some of them are green and putrid, but it would 

 be equivalent to a sentence of death to require the keeper to 

 remove them, though their presence may be fatal to the young 

 pythons, should any be hatched. They are connected together 

 by a membrane, and are evidently arranged with care in con- 

 centric layers, so that the greater part of them have the full in- 

 fluence of maternal warmth. 



The temper of the python when thus slightly disturbed, and 

 her persistency in her work of incubation, severally contradict 

 and confirm the statements of scientific authorities. The Rev. 

 L. Guilding, describing the transportation of a boa to the island 

 of St. Vincent says, ' ' A noble specimen of the boa constrictor 

 was lately conveyed to us by the currents, twisted round the 

 trunk of a large cedar tree, which had been previously washed 

 out of the bank by the floods of some great South American 

 river, while its huge folds hung on the branches, as it waited 

 for its prey. The monster was fortunately destroyed, after 

 killing a few sheep, and his skeleton now hangs before me in 

 my study, putting me in mind how much reason I might have 

 had to fear in my future rambles through the forests of St. 

 Vincent, had this formidable reptile been a pregnant female, 

 escaped to a safe retreat." The pythoness is evidently in no 

 temper to be disturbed while waiting in instinctive expectation 

 for a happy issue to her tedious incubation, and very few who 

 have witnessed this spectacle will agree with Mr. Waterton 

 that " the pythoness herself would comprehend nothing of 

 what was going on" ! 



Previous to the extrusion of the eggs, this python exhibited 

 evidence of uneasiness. She had a plethoric look, and it be- 

 gan to be questioned whether she might not have swallowed a 

 blanket. Fearing the loss of so valuable a creature, it was 

 determined that, on Monday, the 13th of January, an emetic 

 should be administered, when lo ! on that very morning the 

 keeper found his pet engaged in incubation, the eggs having 

 been laid on the night of Sunday, Jan. 12th. Once she left 



